Gas prices rising with Middle East tensions

WASHINGTON (AP) - AAA Mid-Atlantic is warning gas prices are on the rise amid tensions in the Middle East.

In its weekly report, AAA says gas prices remain below where they were a year ago. But the downward trend in prices has been reversed due to higher crude oil prices.

The national average Friday for a gallon of unleaded was $3.59, up 5 cents from a week ago. The average price in the District of Columbia was $3.75. In Maryland, the average was $3.55, and in Delaware the average was $3.54, up 4 cents from a week ago. Prices were lowest in the region in Virginia, with an average of $3.38 per gallon.

AAA is projecting that 29.2 million Americans are traveling for the holiday weekend, up 4.3 percent from last year.